The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-14
THE IORkVILLE LYNCHING.
What Judge Prcssley Said to the
Grand JurS.
Cor. Nears aud Courier.

1oRKvIJLE, April 9.-The Court OF
General Sessions closed yesterday eve
ming, the contingent work of the term
having been considerably reduced by
the summary interference of Judge
Lynch, who, interposing his strong arm
on Tuesday morning, took from the Jail
five prisoners and ruthlesSly put them to
death by hanging.
Of those lynched, Prindley Thompson
made confession in the Jail on the 18th
OF December, duplicating Bailey Dowdle,
Dan Roberts and Nose Lipscomb-three
other victims of the lynchers-aS parties
to the murder, and the coroner's inquest
pointed to these as the guilty ones be-
fore the confession was made. The plea
for hanging Giles Good was that he was
notoriously bad man and a possible ac-
complice or accessory before tile fact, as
member of a band whose object was
robbery, and murder If necessary. Giles
was mulatto, OF about middle-agc, and
had the reputation of being smart, sly
and cunning. The mother of Prindley
Thompson attributes the fate of her
son to the teaching of Giles, who she
says had greater control over her son
than she had.
Ii the only motive for lyuclling these
men was TO avengc the blood of the
murdered boy, that passion, which had
slumbered since the morning of Decen-
ber 18th, was aroused by the crazed con-
dition of the father, who was conveyed
to the Lunatic Asylum on Monday.
Immediately upon the convening OF
Court on Tuesday morning Solicitor Nc
Donald called to Judge Pressley's attcn-
ton the fact OF the lynching, and sug-
gested that the Court could give such
orders in the premises as it might deem
proper.
Addressing the grand jury On this Sug
gestion OF the solicitor, Judge Presley
deprecated the lawless practice of men
taking the law into their own hands and
dealing summarily with accused persons,
which practice has obtained foothold
not only in South Carolina but in nearly
all the Southern and Western States.
He did not know to what this course
might yet lead, nor did he know rem
edy to apply for its correction. If the
practice were confined to one county or
to single State, public opinion might
frown it down, but the practice is wide
spread aud does not seem to meet 4
proper rcbuke by public opinion.
These prisoners had been ordered to
Columbia Jail for safety, and that they
might be permitted to have I fair trial,
and such they would have obtained.
For the act OF lyme ing them, lie said,
have seen nothing giving the least rea-
son. True, now and then, in capital
cases there are miStrials and acquittalS
against the popular sentiment; but in
the majority OF such cases justice is adj
miniStered. and I have no doubt in the
present instance, had these prisoners
been permitted to go to trial, justice and
the majesty OF the law would have been
amply viudicatcd.
1t is useless for me to recommend to
you any courS" OF action. The first case
OF this kind, occurring in Spartauburg
County few Years ago, was ignored by
the grand iury of that county, who re-
fused TO take any action in the matter.
SO far rs this State is concerned, the
practice seems to have commenced with
that case, and, increasing, has become
general. And in view of the more re-
cent and notable case in Edgefeld,
where the Culbreath lynchers have not
been brought to trial after nearly two
years OF effort by the whole power OF the
State, it would seem useless to make any
suggestions or recommendations on the
present occasion.
Such acts, however, are to be exceed
ingly regretted. Good citizens, who
would otherwise scorn IN unlawful act,